QMI Agency

Sorry Lindy Ruff, but Jon Cooper is the next head coach of the Tampa Bay Lightning.

Following the departure of Guy Boucher Sunday morning, the Bolts hired Cooper from their AHL affiliate in Syracuse.

“We are very pleased to introduce Jon as our head coach,” Lightning general manager Steve Yzerman said Monday. “He has had success at every level he has coached and is extremely familiar with our organization, as well as our players. He has a tremendous record at all levels and we feel he is ready to make the move to the NHL.”

Both Cooper and Ruff were reportedly in the running for the job. Ruff, who was let go by the Buffalo Sabres on Feb. 20 after over 15 years as head coach, would have been a popular choice, but the Lightning likely felt that hiring a younger coach and from within the organization would have been better.

Cooper was first hired by the Lightning to coach the Norfolk Admirals of the AHL in 2010. In June 2012, the Admirals won the Calder Cup and Cooper took home the AHL award for most outstanding head coach.

FLYERS' BRIERE OUT INDEFINITELY

The news is not getting any better for Philadelphia Flyers forward Danny Briere.

Following an injury to Briere at their practice facility in Voorhees, N.J., Saturday, the Flyers announced he will be out indefinitely due to a concussion.

Briere, 35, has not scored in his last 13 games. He has five goals and eight assists in 26 games after missing the team’s first four with a wrist injury.

The Flyers are also suffering on defence as Nicklas Grossmann is day-to-day with an upper-body injury.

PREDS ACTIVATE HORNQVIST

The Nashville Predators activated Patric Hornqvist from injured reserve and reassigned defenCeman Ryan Ellis to Milwaukee of the AHL.

Hornqvist missed 10 games with a lower body injury and the past eight with an upper-body injury. He has three goals and five assists in 14 games this season.

Ellis had two goals and four assists in 31 games with the Predators this season.